From left, Baylor School eighth graders Erika Lammon, Theo Maedgen, Bonnie Hellerstedt, Lexi Yother, Riley Hendrix and Jake Weekley. The students were busy baking homemade dog treats that were later sold at the Ark.
Baylor School was selected as a recipient of a Lead2Feed award with a prize of $10,000 charitable grant that will be given to the Humane Educational Society of Chattanooga and an additional $5,000 in Apple technology products for classrooms, which will also be donated to the Humane Society.
Middle School teacher Emmie Treadwell and her eighth grade students are participants in Lead2Feed, a service-learning program that engages students in solving local issues while building skills in leadership and teamwork. Lead2Feed is a Common Core-aligned program developed by the USA TODAY Charitable Foundation, with support from the Lift a Life Foundation and the Yum! Foundation.
Ms. Treadwell uses Lead2Feed as a vehicle for her class because it reinforces concepts of communication, collaboration, critical thinking and problem solving, and creativity that she emphasizes in her class. In the Lead2Feed program, students select a hunger or another community-need project, partner with a nonprofit and compete for more than $275,000 in charity grants and $170,000 in technology grants for schools and clubs. Since the program’s launch in 2012, student members have volunteered more than 22,000 hours, donated 75,000 pounds of food and served more than one million meals in their communities.
The Leadership Exploration classes had a two-prong approach to helping stray animals in the Chattanooga area. One class volunteered weekly at the McKamey Animal Center, writing biographies and taking photos of the animals that were then used to promote animal adoption through social media and the Homeless Pet Network. A second student group designed and built dog toys and baked dog treats that were sold at two area Ark Pet Spa locations.
“The classes planned and executed all aspects of the project, and were able to raise nearly $500 which they donated to the Humane Society,” said Ms. Treadwell.
“Through Lead2Feed, student leaders across the country have committed to feeding the need in their community," said David Novak, executive chairman of Yum! Brands. "It’s inspiring to see these students form teams, set a big goal, and create and execute a plan. Teaching people to lead is an invaluable skill that is lacking in academic curriculum today. The Lead2Feed Student Leadership Program helps fill this gap in middle and high school education and is making the world a better place for generations to come.”